Palmyra aftershocks: Amberin Zaman zoomed in on potential ramifications of the Dec. 13 Palmyra attack that killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter. The attack is already reshaping Syria’s power balance, intensifying pressure on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to integrate with Damascus, Amberin observed. Trump’s pledge of “very serious retaliation” and the administration’s overt backing of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa signal a clear shift, with Washington doubling down on engagement with Damascus as the SDF slips from being its primary partner to a subordinate piece of a broader US-Syria strategy. For Turkey, the emerging US tilt toward Damascus revives long-standing questions about the SDF’s future and Ankara’s own room to maneuver in Syria.
Unwanted visitors from above: I reported on how Ankara moved quickly to defend its air-defense posture after F-16s shot down an unidentified drone near the capital and officials offered few details on its origin or the tracking timeline. Analysts say a drone making it inland toward Ankara raises uncomfortable questions about early detection as Black Sea spillover grows. That unease deepened Friday after authorities said a Russian-origin Orlan-10 reconnaissance drone was found in northwestern Turkey, fueling fresh questions about the scale and frequency of unmanned incursions.
Somali drills and ambitions: Barin Kayaoglu explores how Turkey’s move toward oil and gas drilling in Somalia could anchor Ankara more deeply in the Horn of Africa while heightening competition with regional and Gulf powers vying for influence.
Riyadh vs. Abu Dhabi, mic on: Meanwhile, don’t miss this must-listen podcast by Amberin with Joyce Karam that unpacks the escalating Saudi-UAE clash in Yemen, the regional stakes behind the fallout and how much leverage the Trump administration really has to contain it.
Red lines, songs of resistance and shared tables: On the culture front, it’s been a week of sharp contrasts. Turkey’s broadcasting watchdog moved to investigate the HBO Max series “Jasmine” over alleged violations of “national values,” as critics warned again of tightening red lines around artistic expression. Later this week, the watchdog ruled that the series violated Turkey’s “national and moral values” and ordered its removal from the platform’s Turkey catalog, imposing the maximum administrative fine on the streaming service.
Meanwhile, Amberin reported from northeastern Syria on Kurdish artists and women performers using music and dance as a front line of resistance in a rapidly shifting political landscape.
Finally, Nazlan Ertan’s weekly newsletter offered a reminder of culture’s quieter power, from communal tables in Eskisehir to exhibitions and books that celebrate memory, creativity and everyday life.